Eviction warnings handed to longtime Manitoba legislature encampments
Eviction warnings have been given to two longtime encampments on the Manitoba legislature grounds.
A handful of police were present Wednesday as the notices were given to demonstrators on the north and east sides of the legislative building.
A statement from Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen's office said rallies and protests are acceptable on the grounds.
But, the statement said, encampments are not permitted for the safety of staff, visitors, tourists and other protesters.
The move comes after the Progressive Conservative government passed legislation earlier this year to deal with the encampments.
It gives cabinet authority to determine what can and cannot occur on the legislature grounds, which includes banning encampments, vandalism and vehicle blockades.
It also bans setting fires, brandishing weapons, as well as depositing generators, firewood or other items to support an encampment.
"Those regulations bring Manitoba in line with other jurisdictions across Canada, regardless of political stripe," the statement from Goertzen's office said.
Manitoba Justice officials are the lead on all interactions with the encampments, the statement said. Winnipeg police said officers were assisting the province.
The government did not indicate how long the encampments had to leave the area.
One of the encampments that received notice has been in place for more than a year and includes several tents, flags and other structures. It was set up after the discovery of possible unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools.
A second encampment popped up around June and includes a large teepee on the front lawn. It had previously been associated with nearby parked vehicles that had messages opposing COVID-19 public health restrictions posted on them.
Last summer, a statue of Queen Victoria was knocked down and beheaded during a Canada Day demonstration following the discovery of the graves. A Queen Elizabeth statue was also toppled.
Earlier this year, protesters opposing COVID-19 restrictions also blocked off the streets in front of the legislature for nearly three weeks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
Crypt near Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner could fetch US$400,000 at auction
A one-space mausoleum crypt in the vicinity of Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner will go on auction Saturday, when it is expected to reach between US$200,000 and $400,000.
This Toronto restaurant is no longer accepting tips. Here's how it's going
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff – tipping is no longer accepted.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
What new auto insurance reforms will mean for Ontarians, if they get introduced
Ontario has among the highest rates for auto insurance premiums in Canada -- just below Alberta and Nova Scotia -- however, the introduction of an insurance reform in the provincial budget could soon lower prices.